President's Message

As I write this, six months have passed since I returned to the honor of serving as president of our temple, and barely more than one month remains before I will step down in favor of my successor, Renee Sevy-Hasterok. It is, therefore, appropriate to review for our congregants those areas in which I believe progress has been made; given the short amount of time since May, most of these initiatives are, of course, ongoing.

Largely due to the efforts of our new fiscal team, Treasurer Shelley Miller and Bookkeeper Suesan Phillips, we have strengthened our financial picture. We have continued to cut costs, not by compromising congregant services or further reducing payroll, but by realizing substantial savings in several other areas: negotiating a new MUM (dues) arrangement with URJ; lowering the interest rate on our building mortgage; and embracing new vendors or revising arrangements with existing ones. We are operating far more efficiently, despite the fact that our membership numbers, while now stabilizing, have declined over the last few years.

We are continuing to improve our front office structure. Shelley is working closely with Suesan and Office Administrator Joy Salenfriend to improve procedures and eliminate redundancies, to enable them to provide the best possible support to our clergy, education director, and congregation.

Rabbi Winokur, Mark Silberman, and Shelley have launched a monthly training series that is identifying and grooming future lay leaders. Those who complete the classes will eventually buttress the large – and talented – group of new people who joined the Board of Trustees this past May.

Trustees Michelle Erste and Mike Sobel have taken charge of the new Marketing & Membership Engagement Committee. The success of the recent membership survey (which produced an astonishing response rate of about 30%) and ongoing upgrades of our various online and social media platforms (such as the new TKC app for iPhone and Android) are only two examples of the important work this group is doing.

We have implemented new fundraising ideas, including offering premium parking for the High Holy Days, and Friday night Oneg Shabbat sponsorships.

We have a committee in place to plan and oversee a litany of events that will commemorate our 30th anniversary observances throughout 2012.

I cannot stress strongly enough that I accept no credit for what is going on around us. Few of these projects originated on my watch; some were being discussed even before my first term as president (2008 – 2010); all are the inspirations of others, not mine. These measures will continue on Renee’s watch and even beyond. Let us resolve to continue this momentum into 2012, and far beyond.

B’Shalom,

Tim Weiss